National Youth League fixtures released

Football Federation Australia has today officially released the Foxtel National Youth League 2013/14 Season Draw.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has today officially released the Foxtel National Youth League 2013/14 Season Draw.

The 18-round season will commence on Saturday 26 October when Brisbane Roar host Melbourne Victory at Goodwin Park, Brisbane. Also in round 1, Sydney FC will host the Western Sydney Wanderers in the first of the league-s derby matches. Round 2 will see traditional rivals the Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners line-up for the F3 Derby and in Round 3 Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart face each other in the Melbourne Derby.

Twice during the season a Foxtel National Youth League match will serve as a curtain-raiser for a Hyundai A-League match. The first being on Sunday 8 December 2013 when Melbourne Victory host the Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park and the second when Sydney FC face the Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium Saturday 18 January 2014.

Another significant match-up will occur on the Australia Day Public Holiday when Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC go head-to-head in the Big Blue at Lakeside Stadium.

The Head of the Foxtel National Youth League, Damien de Bohun, said that the Foxtel National Youth League is a critical part of the elite player pathway into the Hyundai A-League and Australia-s National Teams.

“Since the Foxtel National Youth League competition commenced in 2008, many youth players have earned professional contracts in the Hyundai A-League or with overseas clubs,” said de Bohun.

“A great example of this elite player development is the case of Mitchell Duke from the Central Coast Mariners, who began as a youth player in 2009, made his Socceroos debut against the Korea Republic last month and could line-up against Brazil this weekend in Brasilia.

“This is just one of the countless success stories borne out of this competition and I-m sure that there are many more talented players to follow.”

This season is also the first that Foxtel has become the naming rights partner of the competition as part of their commitment to football development in Australia.

Foxtel-s Ben Buckley, Executive Director - Sports & Foxtel Victoria, said: “Continuing on from Foxtel-s commitment to grassroots football in Australia we are pleased to be the naming rights sponsor of the 2013/2014 National Youth League. We at Foxtel believe participation in sport is a vital part of the Australian culture and we think we have an important role to play inspiring a new generation of football fans and players.”

There will also be six double headers between the Foxtel National Youth League and Westfield W-League throughout the season.

The final round of the Foxtel National Youth League will be played on the weekend of 1-2 March 2014

With no Finals Series for the competition, the team that finishes at the top of the table after 18 rounds will be crowned the Foxtel National Youth League Premiers.

You can see the Foxtel National Youth League 2013/14 Season Draw in its entirety by clicking here